lately my 280zx turbo t-tops 2 seater has been running perfect, except for one problem that im not too sure if its a huge problem or not, starting off in 1st and 2nd gear, the car seems like it doesnt give sufficient power until i reach 3.5k rpms, and it seems as if there might be some air bubbles in the fuel line, because it feels like it pushes in intervals with the acceleration...or im thinking maybe i need a new fuel pump, let me know what you guys think, thanks.

~gabriel

 

more info needed... what do you mean by "sufficient power?" Is it studdering, chugging, hesitating? I really doubt there'd be "air bubbles" in the fuel line... that is called vapor lock & the car pretty much won't run in that case. Have you ever done any adjustments or mods to the engine?

 

the only thing modified was a flowmaster, and what i mean by sufficient power is it is hesitating

 

maybe chugging would be a better word

 

Does it just do this when the cars cold or does it do it all the time? What year turbo are we talking about here?

Make sure the intake tract is sealed up and not leaking between the AFM and throttle body. Also check for a loose ignition connection. Make sure there are no vacuum leaks either. Other than that it could be a faulty TPS signal(if the hesitation is only slight), but it really sounds like an AFR problem to me if it's not ignition related. But the turbo ignition system isn't really prone to wear the way the NA's are.

 

I get that problem from time to time. It usually happens right around 2k RPM's. I've had the car for ten years and can't figgure it out. I just try not to drive in that RPM range.

Take a peek at your plugs and see if they're wet. If they are, smell 'em. If they smell like gas, well...try to open up the AFM, clean off the plugs with sandpaper and make sure all the dust is gone before you install them again.

Give that a shot.

 

It's probably just the normal turbo lag. My car does the same thing, it is slower than dirt for maybe 1.5 seconds, then all of a sudden it just takes off and makes up for the lag time. My 82 is almost a 24 year-old car, so expect some imperfections or a little rough take-off.......the thing I do to reduce turbo lag is when I know I am about to need to take off, I manually downshift my car to first and use the brakes and gas to get the rpm's into the 2300-2600 range, that is, if I am already stopped. I noticed sometimes when I stop my car, It stays in second gear instead of going into first, so I have to manually downshift. Anyone else that has a auto....If you are going and just floor it with out manually downshifting, what rpm is it shifting at. I noticed my car shifts at about 4200, but if I manually hold it in the gear, it still pulls strong to 5000 rpm. Is there a way to get the car to stay in the gear all the way to 5000 without manually holding it? Is there some kind of adjustable linkage?

 

Lag up until he hits 3500 would be pretty rediculous for a factory turbo setup. And lag generally doesn't give a chugging feeling, it's usually more like you're in too high a gear until boost kicks in. Unfortunately the only thing you can adjust EXTERNALLY is the kickdown switch which only controls when the trans downshifts and not how long it stays that way. However there are INTERNAL mods that can be done to prolong shift points and firm up shift feel.

 

Mine shifts from about 4800-5200 rpm if left in D. I manually shift my a/t when I'm at the dragstrip. If left in D, I run about 3-6 tenths slower.

 

Yea, Those Ideas Are Pretty Strong, My Car Is A Manual, 1982, Im Not Sure If Its Turbo Lag As Much As It Could Be The Fuel Injector, But I Think My Best Bet Is To Take It To A Shop And Get A Sure Answer, Does Anyone Know Of A Good Shop For 280zx's To Go To In Los Angeles??

 

You've answered your own question. This could be the result of a number of different problems. Fuel pump, fuel injectors, tps, AFM, electrical connections on all of the above...

I would do all the basic 'easy' stuff before plunking down the $$ for a professional to waste their time and your money eliminating them.

Pull all the electrical connectors, including the fuel injectors, ECU, TPS, AFM, IM and clean them with electrical contact cleaner, re-attach them and seal them with a light coat of dielectric grease to keep air and water out. Do NOT smear the dielectric grease all over the contacts! It's an insulator, not a conductor and could make your problem worse.

 

Yeah I remember the first time I used D. grease. Nobody told me how to use it, just that I needed to use it. So I crammed a whole bunch of that stuff up in the spark plug boots and all over the ends of the spark plugs (the metal part) thinking it was supposed to help conductivity. Alright the more the better right? The car wouldn't even start . So frustrated I walked back down to the parts store, it was a Chiefs Auto parts (now known as Autozone, that should tell you how long ago this was) and told the guy he ripped me off and now the car won't start. The manager came out and I told him the problem and he grabbed a new packet of grease and some new plug wires and drove me home in his truck and showed me the right way to do it and didn't even charge me for the new wires. He was cool. His name was Bob. Bob was cool. I was 14 years old and that was the first time I'd ever worked on a car. It was also my first car, a 79 Mustang. The good ol' days .